Mexican Desserts Recipes: 3 Recipes for Authentic Mexican Desserts

Looking for some fun Mexican desserts recipes to make for a Mexican dinner, a Cince de Mayo party, or to celebrate your own heritage? Well, you've got a ton of options, and a lot of them are just as fun to make as they are to eat.

The truth is, sometimes authentic Mexican desserts can be a little surprising. Why? Because they are often made with recipes that have savory variations. Buñuelos, empanadas and tostadas (meat and toppings on a flat fried tortilla) can all be made with the sweet tooth in mind. Sometimes the dough will be changed slightly, and other times it's simply the toppings will change.

Mexican Honey and Nut Buñuelos Recipe

One of my favorite and most authentic Mexican dessert recipes! This small fried fritter is a popular snack in Mexico, Spain, and other Spanish-speaking countries. Much of the time, buñuelos are cooked savory, with fish and other savories. But in Mexico, they're mostly eaten sweet, crispy, tender, and gooey.

In other words, they're heaven.

Sometimes these balls of fried dough are filled with fruit, bananas or cheese. As they are here, buñuelos can also be dusted with powdered or granulated sugar to make them extra sweet and decadant.

Directions: 1. Together in a bowl, whisk the eggs until they are smooth.

2. In a separate bowl combine the cake flour, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon and salt. Gradually stir this dry mixture into the eggs to make stiff dough.

3. Preheat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) in a deep-fryer or large heavy skillet. Prepare a drying rack over paper towels for cooling the buñuelos after cooking.

4. Pinch off 1/2 ounce sized pieces of dough and roll them into thin circles (or balls-- you can do both) on a lightly floured surface.

5. Fry these disks or balls in hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once to make sure all sides get evenly brown. When you remove the buñuelos place them on the draining rig to cool.

6. Drizzle honey over the top of the bunuelos and sprinkle with finely chopped nuts.

Strawberry Empanadas Recipe (with Variations)

Empanadas are filled pastries that are normally semi-circular and fairly small because they are meant to be tasty hand held snacks. Once you have made these treats you can experiment with various fillings.

One variation on this makes one of the most famous Mexican desserts recipes of all time: the empanada de piña, or pineapple empanada. To make a pineapple version, simply fill the empanada with pineapple preserves in place of the strawberry mixture here. Or try dulce de leche, apple filling... whatever floats your boat!

Directions: 1. Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Slowly mix in the flour.

2. Shape your dough into a smooth ball and wrap in plastic. (Very often, Mexican desserts recipes like this one are served at the holidays because they can be started the day before. This dough can be refrigerated overnight or it will keep for up to a week.)

4. In a medium-sized pot place the fruit and 1 cup sugar over medium low heat. Dissolve the sugar and let the mixture reduce slowly to create your own version of jam. This mixture should reduce by approximately half when it is ready. (Try other fruits besides strawberries-- or mix several different kinds!)

5. When you are ready to bake remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature 30 minutes before trying to roll it out.

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

7. Roll chilled dough out on a floured surface until it is thin. Cut circles with a 3 or 4 inch round cookie cutter. Place a small spoonful of fruit jam in center of each round. Moisten the edges with water.

8. Fold the round over and press edges together. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and roll in traditional sugar and cinnamon mixture or confectioners' sugar.

Apple Enchiladas Recipe for Mexican Dessert

Enchiladas are usually made by wrapping a corn tortilla around a savory filling and covering it with a spicy sauce. But this version is sweet! When making this Mexican desserts recipe, you use a sweet for a filling, and your "enchilada sauce" might be a simple chocolate sauce with whipped cream. Or a caramel sauce. Either way, it's heaven.

This recipe has you make your own apple mixture to fill dessert enchiladas. But you can also buy canned pie filling, use preserves, and streamline the whole process. And think outside the box! Apple is great, but these sweet dessert enchiladas are also wonderful in peach, cherry, mango... you name it!

Okay, so apple enchiladas may not be the most authentic Mexican dessert recipe in the world... but they are a lot of fun to make an eat, and they do feel very Mexican!

2. Core, seed and chop apples, and place in a small saucepan. Add lemon juice, 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cook fruit mixture until it is reduced by about half. Stir in 1 C. sugar and simmer thickened slightly.

3. Spoon fruit evenly onto all tortillas and sprinkle with another 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Roll up the tortillas and place seam side down on a lightly greased 8x8 baking pan.

4. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add remaining white sugar, the brown sugar, and the 1/2 C. water.

5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, 3 minutes, until thickened. Stir in cinnamon and pour over enchiladas.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

When you look at recipes like this, you really see how Mexican desserts recipes reflect the ingenuity of the people who created them!